Apprentices

[namsag]

I think the biggest bug bear for independents is why should they take someone on train them up and teach them everything they know and what prices etc they charge only for apprentice to leave and set up in direct competition with them in there own town.

Always taught apprentices everything they knew but not everything i knew

 

[fitz1]

if gov paid like they used to i may well employ apps , but there is no way im going to spend time and money to train someone to bugger off and take my buisiness as soon as they have passed city + guilds,

 

[corgiman]

We used to have young (16-17yr olds) apprentices but we stop taking them on because with the exception of one lad (and he was a top man he was and still is) we found them petulant, lazy and arrogant

While I sympathize with Corgiman and all the other pro's who have had bad experiences working with apprentices, I would like to know their answers to some simple questions:

1. How did they gain their experience if not by some form of on the job training combined with college studies?

2. How would they solve the problems of a shortage of skilled plumbers and heating engineers?

3. Where will their replacements come from? Assuming, of course that they are not breeding them

1. If they act like they cannot be bothered why should I

2 With the amount of decent career changers that isnt a problem, and as for a shortage of plumbers there isnt one and there never has been.

3 see 1

 

[corgiman]

Where has collegeboy gone?

 

[sooey]

I think he's had his answers Matt

 

[corgiman]

I think he's had his answers Matt

You could be right soo

LMAO

 

[holty]

my apprentice at the mo has just decicided hes found somewere nearer to home, im talking ten miles difference.my boss has taken him from a bad job, has looked after him as he does with all his employees.yet he might as well as said f*&k you jack.i started late in life to get an apprenticeship and was greatful and loyal to my old boss.because he gave me a chance. but that dosnt seem to care much for people nowadays (loyalty) .

 

[collegeboy]

IMHO most lecturers are those who couldn't crack it on the tools and haven't a clue about modern heating and boilers.[/quote]


Glad you said most, I still run a business as well as being a tutor.

 

[bengasman]

Out of the 5 wannabe apprentices I said yes to, 3 never showed up.

I don’t know where you get the deranged idea from that colleges train better than private organisations, but the 2 that did show up came out with total nonsense on a regular basis.

When I contacted the local college to ask them what they offered on “part P” training, they told me that they were waiting for CORGI to tell them what the guidelines would be.

I would not take the average college tutor on as an apprentice.

One of your colleges posted here not too long ago and did not understand that the height of a building had little to do with the required pumphead.

College fail rate for part L, which is a real doddle was 65%, the private club where I went was only a tad short of 0.

 

[collegeboy]

If you are a lecturer imparting knowledge then I would have thought calling yourself College BOY is NOT going to impart the knowledge that you are a tutor!

I assume that you are a course learned tutor without practical site plumbing experience or you would already have known what you have been told above.

Part of the problem is that colleges select people first if they are unemployed layabouts and last if they have a degree and prior knowledge. Communication skills and customer care is never mentioned!

As you probably never answer questions we ask you then could you just tell me how many times you have told your students to wipe their feet before entering a customers home?

Have you ever thought of teaching basic respect like asking BEFORE using the toilet, sitting down or entering any room?

Tony

Mmmm nice to see a bit of proffesional courtesy,

As you assume the above then I assume you are the type of employer who would rather take a mature student, and I don't blame you, however I have found that most of the mature students I see are only interested in 1 thing, "lining there pockets". Plumbing is the in thing at the moment and every tom dick and harry who gets a payout from react or such like to "Re-train" after their factory which they chose to work in after leaving school with F*** all qualifications, has closed. As soon as plumbing has dried up a bit they will be onto the next big thing. Seen it all before 1990 all retrain on computers, 1995 driving instructors, 1999 aerospace, 2001 plumbing.

As for answering questions I have only been on this site 1 day so give me chance, and as for teaching youngsters to wipe their feet and as for basic respect, isn't that a parents job???????

As for my position I choose to "impart" my knowledge to others, for 2 main reasons, 1, because it gave me a change of life at the age of 14, and 2, because it now gives me more time with my family, money has never been a key issue, I have done this job foe 30 years, was a CORGI inspector for 5, and a foreman with one of south wales largest heating maintenance companies for 6 years. So if my help is not appreciated then thats no skin off my nose.
I never thought joining one of these forums was a licence to be attacked but there you go some people just seem to have that messiah syndrome. " I work on the tools so im the best" yeah ok mate!!!

 

[collegeboy]

I think the biggest bug bear for independents is why should they take someone on train them up and teach them everything they know and what prices etc they charge only for apprentice to leave and set up in direct competition with them in there own town.

Always taught apprentices everything they knew but not everything i knew

Who taught you then??????

 

[EliteHeat]

I see that you've already learnt the quote button malarky after only 3 attempts. Well done!

P.S. Give me a mature student any day of the week.

 

[collegeboy]

There seem to be many responses from people who basically say " why should I train someone who is just going to leave and set up on their own".
To this I ask, Who trained you and do you still work for THEM??????????

 

[tonybhoy]

I would never take on an apprentice,ever.

I'm a one man band and simply can't afford to either financially or otherwise and for most of the reasons already posted.

Mate of mine is a spark and he swallowed the whole skills shortage bullsh!t and started a guy as an apprentice.

The guy was 23 yr old in first year he is now 26 and his time is just about out nice enough guy and all that but he'll never be a spark he just hasn't got it and anyway he is way too old.

However the crux of the matter is that he is costing my mate £15K pa for this last year and has probably cost about £30K over the course of the apprenticeship and for what?

Mate is talking about letting him go because he can't afford to keep him and he tells me he'll never do it again and frankly I don't blame him.

Personally I don't see why we tradesman should cut out own throats by training someone to take our jobs,surely that is for the government to sort out and pay for.

Rant over

 

[collegeboy]

Again Where did you train, Im sure you didnt wake up one morning and there you are a plumber, As to your mate taking an apprentice shouldnt have cost him a penny, other than what he wanted to pay the boy.
And I agree some people are not cut out to be plumbers, as is true of any job. eg how many apprentice footballers end up palying professional??? not many.